Dromble: Dan Adelman Discusses Nintendo’s Culture, Third Parties, VC & More

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Soundwave said:

I don't think the culture will change anytime soon.

If I'm a 30 year veteran at Nintendo who's paid his dues and worked for a long time to get a cushy, high paying position on the board of directors with a large say in things, I'm sure as hell not just stepping aside so some young little snot can take my spot. Why should I?

I don't see the incentive there for that to be done. It doesn't seem like Iwata really has mass authority to do things in the way Yamauchi did either.

For better or (probably) worse Nintendo is stuck with this structure for the next decade or so. Japanese companies do not change their culture that quickly. It's best I think just to enjoy their games, because they're not going to make radical changes in how they operate. Even the younger people on the board likely only get there by playing it safe (as the article states) and being loyal to older higher ups in the company.

If anything I think the company has become more bogged down in internal politics and Japanese tradition under Iwata. Yamauchi didn't give a f**k because he made decisions on a whim and no one dared challenge him. He did things like sign the deal for Donkey Kong Country (a Western game) after hearing a sales pitch for it, there was no debate or lengthy meeting about whether or not to do it, he liked that the guy who pitched had the balls to speak up, and sealed the deal for it right there on the spot. He also chose Silicon Graphics for the N64 basically on his own, again because he liked their presentation (I'm sure giving the next-gen contract to an American company like that did not sit well with a lot of people at Nintendo but no one would dare question Yamauchi). That's not how it works at Nintendo anymore. 

So basically, Nintendo needs to become a fascist dictatorship again. :P